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Experiencing LIFE Today - August 24, 2011

2011Aug 24

COMMENTS

Allowing Jesus to serve you

“In the Kingdom of God, service is not a stepping-stone to nobility: it is nobility, the only kind of nobility that is recognized.”—T. W. Mason

The last meal that Christ shared with His disciples was filled with awkward moments—lots of them. The first one happened when they arrived. The preparations for the meal were definitely last minute. When Jesus and the guys got there and sat down, the servant who was probably supposed to wash their feet didn’t show up for work—didn’t get the memo or was out of range at the camel races or something.

Anyway, with no designated servant around, the disciples were left looking at each other. Who is the foot-washing guy? Peter, is that your job? And they’re all kind of pointing their fingers. Well, who is the low man on the totem pole? Who’s going to do it? Who is going to take the role of the servant? No one does.

Jesus gets up, takes off His cloak, wraps it around His waist and starts washing their feet.Oh, what an awkward moment. I mean, the Master is not supposed to do that. He gets to Pete (my namesake, coincidentally?) and, of course…

“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”—John 13:8

Was there awkward silence in the room, maybe? Absolutely. An awkward snapshot of a pervasive new principle that is revealed throughout the New Testament:

The Christian life begins with, and is sustained by, Jesus’ service to us… not by our supposed service to Him.

Pride and arrogance in our flesh will protest, but the bottom line is that our identity in Christ is dependent only on what He does and has done for us… not on what we do for Him.

In what ways do you need to allow Jesus to serve you and sustain you today?

Jesus, this seems so backward, yet I ask You to humble me. Show me my need for You today. Break through my pride and make me willing to let You serve me today, enabling me, filling me, strengthening me so that I can experience who I truly am in You. Amen!